Kukla's Korner Hockey

There have been no talks about a contract extension between the Blue Jackets and right wing Marian Gaborik, and there seems to be no urgency on either side to strike a deal. Gaborik, who would be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, said he hasn’t given his contract status much thought....

But what Kekalainen wants from Gaborik doesn’t show up in the stats. “He could be the driving force of the team,” Kekalainen said. “I’d like to see him taking charge, driving the team with his example — not only with the points but with everything else he does. “He’s at the point in his career where he could take the next step in that area. He’s proven he can score points, score goals. I want to believe that even a 30-year-old or a 35-year-old player can get better, and that’s one area that I want to see more from him.”